NOW and THEN
Do you remember the first "NOW" CD that came out and how awesome it was? We're now 29 albums deep, and I think it's about time there was a "Best of Now" disc. Here are my picks for the 10 best song hyper-compilation from the first eight volumes (where the best songs clearly are).
10. Britney Spears - "... Baby One More Time"; "NOW Volume 2"
Remember when Britney Spears first came out and was totally young and hot? It seems like forever ago, but nay - it was back in 1999 when "NOW Volume 2" came out. No late-nineties compilation would be complete without some Britney. I realize this may not be her best song, but this was the original single and thus makes my list.
9. Blink 182 - "All The Small Things"; "NOW Volume 4"
Blink 182 was such a rite of passage for every adolescent boy, it would be a crime not to include at least one of their songs on the list. "All The Small Things" is one of the best Blink 182 songs (and one of the three most people can name off the top of their head). Plus, everyone can sing along to the "na na na na" part.
8. Fastball - "Out Of My Head"; "NOW Volume 3"
Besides being one of my favorite songs of all time, this is a great song because there's really not much to it. Despite there only being one verse, the chorus is so good that you don't mind it just being repeated over and over. You'd really have to be out of your head not to love this song.
7. Hanson - "MMMBop"; "NOW Volume 1"
From the original NOW album, back in the days when we couldn't figure out how many girls were in Hanson, the greatest song around was "MMMBop." It's really catchy, even if the chorus is just a bunch of random syllables. And the lyrics are actually kind of deep ... right? Either way, listening to this song really brings me back, and hence makes the list.
6. Sum 41 - "Fat Lip"; "NOW Volume 8"
Is it ironic that the song that includes the lines "I'll never fall in line/become another victim of your conformity" was part of the most mass-produced mainline music compilation disc ever created? It's like an "I'm an individual" shirt from Hot Topic. But anyway, this is an amazing song, and really has nothing to do with a fat lip. But hear the tune and you'll realize you remember a surprising amount of the lyrics.
5. Lifehouse - "Hanging By A Moment"; "NOW Volume 7"
My roommate said he has to be in a Lifehouse mood to enjoy this song - then after we started listening to it we realized that you're always in a Lifehouse mood. Case closed, it's on the list. This is another amazing song that you don't think about very often, but will bring you back.
4. Blessid Union of Souls - "Hey Leonardo (She Likes Me For Me)"; "NOW Volume 3"
This was one of those songs that you just can't help but say "I LOVE that song!!" every time it comes on (which isn't that much anymore, unfortunately). Despite the spelling of "blessed" that really bothers me, I just love this song. Plus it sends a great message about love and stuff, which is pretty cool.
3. Smash Mouth - "All Star"; "NOW Volume 3"
Smash Mouth is great. They have so many good songs - some would argue that "I'm a Believer" is a better song than "All Star," but once you start singing "All Star," it'll be stuck in your head all day. It's a great song for not only nostalgia's sake, but also for those moments where you wish you could be something else. Like a rock star getting your show on and then getting paid. Again, this may not be the greatest Smash Mouth song ever, but hey now, when it comes to these artists, all that glitters is gold.
2. American Hi-Fi - "Flavor of the Weak"; "NOW Volume 7"
In coming to the end of my top 10, I had a lot of trouble deciding which would take the top spots. Really, it's a toss up. Things I love about "Flavor of the Weak" include the word play in the title (see what they did there?), how catchy it all is and how I swear they're saying "Nintendo" in the middle. You all know what I'm talking about. Man this music is good.
1. Nine Days - "Absolutely (Story of a Girl)"; "NOW Volume 5"
I don't think I know anyone who doesn't like this song. Any time you hear it (which again isn't much anymore), I swear everyone immediately mentions how great a song it is. There's just something almost perfect about it, which is really hard to describe. It's kind of sad, but also happy and upbeat at the same time - a total mix that fits perfectly with the angst I undoubtedly had when it came out. My No. 1is the story of a girl, and I absolutely love it.
